1. Field of Invention
This invention relates generally to wall hangers for displaying compact discs, and more particularly to a hanger for displaying an array of compact discs which together represent a collection.
2. Status of Prior Art
Digital techniques are now widely used to make sound and video recordings. Thus when recording music or speech, the analog signal output of the microphone amplifier is sampled and converted into a stream of digital bits that are recorded on magnetic tape and then transferred from the tape to a rotating master disc. The recording on the master disc is in the form of microscopic indentations in a spiral track on one surface of the disc. The master disc is used to create stampers for pressing vinyl records, called compact discs or CD's.
The player for a CD record uses a laser beam optical pick-up and makes no physical contact with the disc. A similar technique is used to make digital video recordings, the resultant video compact discs being referred to as VCD's. As used herein, the term "compact disc" encompasses both CD's and VCD's.
Compact discs are conventionally packaged in a so-called "jewel box" which consists of a rectangular casing having a hinged lid, the casing being molded of transparent, synthetic plastic material. The casing accommodates a plastic cassette in which the compact disc is held in place within the casing.
A conventional jewel box package, because of its relatively complex nature, is expensive to make and assemble. Moreover, the depth of the box for a compact disc is substantially greater than the thickness of the disc itself. This presents a problem; for in a typical retail establishment, shelf and counter space are at a premium, and the dimensions of a conventional jewel box compact disc package impose limits on the number of packages that can be kept in stock.
In my above-identified, copending applications, there is disclosed a compact disc package formed by a panel of flexible material provided with a circular well to receive a compact disc. The well has a diameter matching that of the disc so that the disc is pressed into the well and is snugly nested therein. The disc can be popped out of the well simply by flexing the panel to disengage the disc therefrom. The compact disc has recorded on one side thereof a sound or video recording (CD or VCD), the other side being printable.
Printed on the printable unrecorded surface of the other side of the disc and in the region of the panel surrounding this surface is a picture of a character who is related to the subject matter of the recording. Hence a portion of this picture appears on the printable surface of the disc and the remainder on the panel. Printed on the bottom surface of the well is the same portion of the picture. Hence when the compact disc is removed from the well in the panel, one still sees the entire picture.
It is known to frame a compact disc so that it can be displayed on a wall. Thus when a particular CD recording has won an award and more than a million copies have been sold, it is common practice for the winner to gold or platinum-plate the CD and mount it in a display frame to be hung on a wall. But with a hanger of this type, the CD is locked in place and cannot be removed so that it can be played.
In some cases, a group of compact discs, each carrying a different set of recordings, constitute a collection, for the recordings have a common source. Thus the many recordings made decades ago by the Beatles are now classics which are prized by collectors. If most of the records ever made by the Beatles were digitally recorded on a set of compact discs, these discs would constitute a Beatles collection.
Assuming that the proud possessor of this Beatles CD collections would wish to display these CD's on a wall and thereby arouse the envy of those not so fortunate as to own a like collection, he would do so by mounting the CD's in a common frame or wall hanger.
However, the drawback of a conventional hanger of this type is that it deprives the owner of the collection of the ability to play the CD's. Thus should the owner be challenged by a friend as to whether the collection on display included a particular Beatles recording, the owner could not meet this challange by pulling from the hanger and playing in a player the CD containing this recording.